Project Description

Berlin Conference 2012

It is time to develop and present ideas and models of action. Europe means citizens.

Berlin Conference 2012

It is time to develop and present ideas and models of action. Europe means citizens.

This year’s Berlin Conference with the title “Cultural Coalition for a Citizens’ Europe” took place on 10 November 2012 at the Deutsche Telekom, Berlin Representative Office. The fifth Berlin Conference was based on the conviction that it is the citizens who have to shape Europe, and that they should do so by using “culture” as a tool. The aim was to think of new ways and ideas how to make use of this tool and how to motivate the citizens to take on responsibility and to build a “cultural coalition”.

In three discussion panels, the role of the citizens, the EU and culture were discussed from different perspectives with participants from a wide range of areas, including business, politics, as well as the arts and culture. The three discussion rounds focussed on:

Democracies at Risk

Cities, Citizens, and their Responsibilities

Environmental Challenges: Cultural Approaches

In the first panel, diverse solutions for the crisis within Europe were discussed. It became clear that both democracy and citizenship are endangered by the crisis. Europe has to be brought closer to the people through dialogue and tangible projects, which would in turn also affect democracies within Europe. The conclusion of the panel was that citizens are carriers of culture, and therefore carriers of democracy.

The responsibilities of citizens and cities were discussed in the second conference session. Politicians and institutions have to take citizens more seriously and have to make sure that their voices are heard. It is the citizens who should “carry” the politicians, and not the other way around – an idea that still has to be communicated and put into practice. New methods have to be introduced to achieve this aim and more funding would be needed to create real long-term change.

In the third panel of the day, the participants discussed possible cultural approaches on environmental issues. Culture should be used as a tool to make people more aware of climate change, for example by its power to create new narratives, but also by creating a platform on which issues can be addressed. On the other side, the mobility of artists also affects the environment, which is a problem that will have to be dealt with and where solutions need to be found.

The conference concluded with an outlook on 2014, when the biannual Berlin Conference reaches a new level: 100 years after the outbreak of WWI, the European Parliament, “A Soul for Europe” as well as artists and intellectuals will together take responsibility for the Berlin Conference and make it the platform to discuss how Europe can contribute to address present-day challenges.

Among the political representatives participating in the conference were Viviane Reding, Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship and the MEPs Michael Cramer, Jo Leinen, Doris Pack, Hans-Gert Pöttering, and Hannes Swoboda. Also, Krzysztof Czyzewski, Artistic Director of Wroclaw 2016, the Hungarian author Noémi Kiss, and Francisca Abreu, Culture Councilor to the city of Guimarães were among the many participants.

Also, at this year’s Berlin Conference, the photography, research and debate project “Warriors–Generation–Europe” was presented. This project by artist Paul Hoßfeld was awarded the Council of Europe’s “Cultural Event” label. It addresses the first truly “European” generation, aiming to discuss and reflect European culture, society and identity. The exhibition will travel around Europe from 2013 onwards, starting in Strasbourg in May 2013. For further information please visit their website.

Gallery

“A Soul for Europe” would like to thank the following partners for their support:

This year’s Berlin Conference with the title “Cultural Coalition for a Citizens’ Europe” took place on 10 November 2012 at the Deutsche Telekom, Berlin Representative Office. The fifth Berlin Conference was based on the conviction that it is the citizens who have to shape Europe, and that they should do so by using “culture” as a tool. The aim was to think of new ways and ideas how to make use of this tool and how to motivate the citizens to take on responsibility and to build a “cultural coalition”.

In three discussion panels, the role of the citizens, the EU and culture were discussed from different perspectives with participants from a wide range of areas, including business, politics, as well as the arts and culture. The three discussion rounds focussed on:

Democracies at Risk

Cities, Citizens, and their Responsibilities

Environmental Challenges: Cultural Approaches

In the first panel, diverse solutions for the crisis within Europe were discussed. It became clear that both democracy and citizenship are endangered by the crisis. Europe has to be brought closer to the people through dialogue and tangible projects, which would in turn also affect democracies within Europe. The conclusion of the panel was that citizens are carriers of culture, and therefore carriers of democracy.

The responsibilities of citizens and cities were discussed in the second conference session. Politicians and institutions have to take citizens more seriously and have to make sure that their voices are heard. It is the citizens who should “carry” the politicians, and not the other way around – an idea that still has to be communicated and put into practice. New methods have to be introduced to achieve this aim and more funding would be needed to create real long-term change.

In the third panel of the day, the participants discussed possible cultural approaches on environmental issues. Culture should be used as a tool to make people more aware of climate change, for example by its power to create new narratives, but also by creating a platform on which issues can be addressed. On the other side, the mobility of artists also affects the environment, which is a problem that will have to be dealt with and where solutions need to be found.

The conference concluded with an outlook on 2014, when the biannual Berlin Conference reaches a new level: 100 years after the outbreak of WWI, the European Parliament, “A Soul for Europe” as well as artists and intellectuals will together take responsibility for the Berlin Conference and make it the platform to discuss how Europe can contribute to address present-day challenges.

Among the political representatives participating in the conference were Viviane Reding, Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship and the MEPs Michael Cramer, Jo Leinen, Doris Pack, Hans-Gert Pöttering, and Hannes Swoboda. Also, Krzysztof Czyzewski, Artistic Director of Wroclaw 2016, the Hungarian author Noémi Kiss, and Francisca Abreu, Culture Councilor to the city of Guimarães were among the many participants.

Also, at this year’s Berlin Conference, the photography, research and debate project “Warriors–Generation–Europe” was presented. This project by artist Paul Hoßfeld was awarded the Council of Europe’s “Cultural Event” label. It addresses the first truly “European” generation, aiming to discuss and reflect European culture, society and identity. The exhibition will travel around Europe from 2013 onwards, starting in Strasbourg in May 2013. For further information please visit their website.

'We need to keep #culture at the top of the European agenda, making an important cobtrubution to cohesion, social inclusion and the future European society' Culture commissioner @TNavracsicsEU gives his vision for a future European agenda for #culture

Susanne Baer: „to save the project and protect our home as Europe, there has to be a lot of support well beyond the EU organs and institutions, including support from civil society, from academia, from political allies in the world. So this is a call for all of us“ /cc @wseuropa

Meet Franz aka "Metalmorphosis". David Černý's statue of Franz Kafka is one of the things you can discover in Prague when following journalist Tomáš Randýsek's presentation of his home town for @wseuropa this week. See all pictures at https://t.co/SNZq42V0sw

❗️Six days left to apply for the Carlos V Award by @fundacionyuste, which aims at rewarding work that has contributed to the general knowledge and enhancement of Europe’s cultural, social, scientific, and historical values. https://t.co/L2ppBlcm59

Our strategy group member @NclsBrtrnd takes us to a tiny village close to Lyon this week - head over to Instagram to see his pictures and follow the tour d'Europe presented by @wseuropa
#asoulforeurope #wirsindeuropa

.@PaoloGentiloni: #Italy, #Germany & #France have a special (if not exclusive) responsibility to respond to growing expectations for a more ambitious #EU role in light of growing geopolitical uncertainties and rise of nationalism & xenophobia #humboldtrede

'We need to keep #culture at the top of the European agenda, making an important cobtrubution to cohesion, social inclusion and the future European society' Culture commissioner @TNavracsicsEU gives his vision for a future European agenda for #culture

Susanne Baer: „to save the project and protect our home as Europe, there has to be a lot of support well beyond the EU organs and institutions, including support from civil society, from academia, from political allies in the world. So this is a call for all of us“ /cc @wseuropa

Meet Franz aka "Metalmorphosis". David Černý's statue of Franz Kafka is one of the things you can discover in Prague when following journalist Tomáš Randýsek's presentation of his home town for @wseuropa this week. See all pictures at https://t.co/SNZq42V0sw

❗️Six days left to apply for the Carlos V Award by @fundacionyuste, which aims at rewarding work that has contributed to the general knowledge and enhancement of Europe’s cultural, social, scientific, and historical values. https://t.co/L2ppBlcm59

Our strategy group member @NclsBrtrnd takes us to a tiny village close to Lyon this week - head over to Instagram to see his pictures and follow the tour d'Europe presented by @wseuropa
#asoulforeurope #wirsindeuropa

.@PaoloGentiloni: #Italy, #Germany & #France have a special (if not exclusive) responsibility to respond to growing expectations for a more ambitious #EU role in light of growing geopolitical uncertainties and rise of nationalism & xenophobia #humboldtrede